Thursday, May 21, 2015

“And yes, I know there will be consequences. But not you, not Dean -- not anybody can tell me what those consequences are. So I’m not gonna let my brother destroy himself on a guess.”

Most things have consequences one way or another, but in the Supernatural world, those consequences can often be a lot more than what you bargained for. One action, no matter how well-intentioned it was, can set off an unwanted ripple effect that leaves even the bravest and the strongest in some state of emotional disarray. Or even worse, the entire world in the midst of a screw-up of EPIC proportions.

In this incredibly intense and stressful season finale, we find our boys in not just the first situation, but also, by the end of the episode, the latter. However, epic proportions may be putting it lightly -- it’s more like biblical (can’t say they weren’t warned about that part, though).

Emotions are running high in the aftermath of the bloodshed in the previous episode. While Sam desperately refuses to let go of trying to get the cure for the Mark, even after his brother has taken off, Dean, it seems, has nearly given up on himself enough for the both of them already. He wakes up on the floor of a motel, likely after having passed out following a drinking binge. He’s always been a little dependent on alcohol at times (if a little means a lot), but this time it appears he’s really cut off all restraints, and not just with the drinking. The comments that come out of his mouth in most of this episode are utterly vile at times, and as much as I love our eldest Winchester, even I could feel the collective cringing of the entire fandom whilst tweeting during the episode. I even joined in, though keeping in mind the man before us now was merely a shadow of who he used to be.

“You worked some pretty dark stuff in your day, haven’t you, Agent? Must have left quite a mark.”

“Oh, you have no idea.”

We meet a new hunter in this episode, though, like most, Rudy’s appearance is very short-lived. While working together (I use that term loosely, as Dean basically butted in and told him in less than pleasant terms to buzz off) on a vamp case, Dean’s recklessness goes a bit too far, causing a jumpy vampire to kill the hunter. Accidents like this happen all the time for other hunters, but this is simply Dean no longer caring, pushing his luck as far as he can just because he feels he no longer has nothing to lose. This only aids in Dean’s self-destruction, the guilt pushing him enough over the edge to trash the motel room he’s in (I swear, the lamp-fatality in this show may be even higher than the human death count, at this rate), and then he even goes as far as as to leave the Impala behind for Sam while he summons Death in an attempt to have him kill Dean.

Honestly, I know how strange it sounds to those who don’t watch the show when I say it, but I absolutely love Death. I love his uncaring sass, and his ability to put fear in everyone to the point they’ll literally serve him platters of his favorite foods in order for them to get on his good side. He’s the subtle kind of funny that still leaves you afraid of him, because, well, he is still Death, after all. He’s not got time for your human nonsense, unless there’s good food involved. I can respect that.

As it turns out, Dean cannot be killed, not even by Death, without unleashing a destructive force older than God himself, known as the Darkness. Not much is known about it, aside from the fact it played an important part in a war fought by God and his archangels. It’s unable to be killed, so it was locked away in the form of the Mark of Cain, which Lucifer had passed down to Cain, and from Cain to Dean. What kind of power the Darkness holds is also unknown, but the fact that the powers of God and the angels weren't enough to destroy it says a lot about its strength. Plus, the name “The Darkness” isn’t that cheery a name, so what should you expect, really?

Death offers to relocate Dean elsewhere -- not on Earth, but somewhere else (vague, huh?) where he’s still alive, but cannot cause any more harm to himself or others. When Sam shows up, begging Dean not to go through with it, Dean explains that his way out is through Sam’s death. Sam simply will not stop trying to save Dean, or, in Death’s words, “will not rest until his brother is free of the Mark, which simply cannot happen, lest the Darkness be set free.”

“Evil tracks us. And it nukes everything in our vicinity -- our family, our friends. It’s time to put a proper name to what we really are and we deal with it.”

“Listen, we are not evil. We’re far from perfect… but we are good. That thing on your arm is evil, but not you, not me.”

This scene, this is what kills me. Even before the Mark, Dean has constantly struggled with this image of himself: that he’s unworthy of forgiveness, unworthy of life, because he believes he’s not a good person. But Sam, he tries to see the good in everyone, so of course, even when Dean is blind to it, Sam sees the good in him, too. He’s his big brother; Sam looks up to him, and now Dean’s willing to stand down and let himself be killed -- he’s ready to die. He accepts his fate, because what else is he going to do? But Sam makes sure that before that happens, Dean knows that he’s always believed in him; that no matter what Dean thinks, no matter what Dean believes, they are both, deep down, good people.

“You’ll never, ever hear me say, that you -- the real you -- is anything but good.”

And then the thing with the family photographs -- okay, no, I’m gonna fast forward past all this before I start bawling again. Just before Dean lands the fatal blow with the scythe, he changes direction, instead killing Death. Or, well, it at least appears he’s killed Death. The whole “Death can’t be killed” thing seemed pretty straightforward, but no one said anything about what would happen if impaled by his own scythe. Just moments after that happens, Rowena succeeds in casting the spell that removes the Mark -- and sure enough, the cure literally flies through the roof, and in a flash of lights, the Mark has disappeared.

Before they even have a moment to appreciate that, to even be relieved, the Darkness is unleashed, no longer tethered to the Mark because the Mark no longer exists.

I don’t know about everyone else, but I’m so intrigued to see how this Darkness thing plays out, and I have SO many questions. How is it going to affect everyone? Is it going to have some kind of human form? Will people no longer be able to die due to Death’s (possible) death? Will Baby resurface from the smoke unscathed? ARE CAS AND CROWLEY OKAY?!?!

I have a dozen theories spinning in my head already relating to the Darkness and the creation of a certain virus, among other things. I’m so pleased with this season finale, I can almost forgive the frustrating cliffhanger. Almost.

See you guys in the fall for more Supernatural reviews when season eleven begins!

Memorable Moments/Quotes:

“Unless, of course, either of you have spent years of your life studying with the greats, mastering the intricacies of high witchcraft?! ...But forgive me, maybe you have.” Okay, I know Rowena can be absolutely terrible at times (she’s a witch, so duh), but I honestly still stand by my opinion of her when she first showed up on the show. She’s sassy, independent, and armed with such a fiery personality that you can’t help but pay attention every time she’s on screen. Just, y’know, try not to focus so much on the witchcraft, murder, and child abandonment, and she’s pretty cool.

“The third ingredient is impossible. Loosely translated, my heart.” “That’s not impossible at all.” I will never tire of Cas' subtle sass.

“That’s right. Burn those eyes blue. Spread those broken wings and destroy me. Or… do it my way. Now beg.” “What?” “Blast me, or beg.” “Crowley--” “King!” “...King. If you -- if you would -- if you would be so kind…”

“Don’t tell me that’s queso.” I wanna know when Dean had the time to make all this food -- I didn’t even know he could cook

2 comments:

This season has been kind of adrift hasn´t it? But these last episodes were too much!! I´m really sorry about Charlie, because she was great, and the fact that they burned her means she can only come back as a ghost, like Bobby... and I hope she does (both of them, Bobby being one of my favorites of all times).I´m like you, I have soooo many questions. Somehow I knew Dean would "kill" Death (I thought that was his plan since the beginning: summon Death, get his scythe and goodbye Death). And now what? Dean is the new Death? Or there is no Death so nobody can die?? (which will be useful in case Cass kills Crowley - if Crowley can be killed...). The darkness is what I don´t dare to talk about, because there can be soooo many theories there...I actually liked bad Dean... when he finished last season being a demon I was so pleased! Because demon Dean would be hilarious, and a badass..... but they took it out of the way so quickly I didnt´get to enjoy much. And, although I didn´t like the consequences Rudy faced nor the possibility of Dean killing Sam, I liked very much that Dean.Rowena is the best!! I don´t know who takes care of the casting, but they are killing it: Charlie, Ben, Rowena, Crowley, Cass, Kevin and his mother... With such an emotional episode I can´t wait to watch season 11!!